fairy ring

Definition of fairy ring

1 : a ring of basidiomycetous mushrooms produced at the periphery of a body of mycelium which has grown outward from an initial growth point also : a ring of luxuriant vegetation especially when associated with these mushrooms

2 : a mushroom (especially Marasmius oreades) that commonly grows in fairy rings

Examples of fairy ring in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web These fast-growing descendant trees — often found growing in a circle, called a fairy ring, around the original stumps — make up 95 percent of the redwood acreage across the state. — Peter Fimrite, SFChronicle.com, "Big grove of old-growth Santa Cruz redwoods saved, helping species restoration," 30 Jan. 2020 One contends that the grass formed fairy rings itself in an attempt to survive and take advantage of limited resources in arid desert environments. — Erin Blakemore, Smithsonian, "Dueling Theories on the Cause of “Fairy Circles” Could Both Be Right," 18 Jan. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'fairy ring.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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